German brands take the lead even at consumer electronics events

The three dominating luxury automakers come from Germany, and BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz look set to showcase their continued dominance of the segment in any way they can.

Even if that means taking over the lead at an unlikely venue for an automaker: January’s Las Vegas lavish Consumer Electronics Show. Facing increased pressure from upstarts such as Tesla Motors or even technology giants like Apple and Google, Germany’s premium brands want to reassure the clients they still hold the edge. And that means showcasing their latest advancements in what is hot today: autonomous driving and car connectivity technology. The Consumer Electronics Show held next month in Las Vegas should come with over the top displays from BMW, Audi and Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz – with the latter’s CEO, Dieter Zetsche, even tasked to make the keynote speech at the event, running between January 6 and 9.

Years into the new millennium, the traditional standards that defined a premium automaker – design, performance and build quality – have been assaulted by numerous brands, so the luxury automakers now have to focus on technological breakthroughs to keep their lead in sales and price over aspiring brands that come from the mass market zone.